Jan. 31

This is where I've spent the good bit of the morning/early afternoon.... on the phone (usually on hold for insane periods of time) and at the computer trying desperately to get the needed information to get my vehicle registered in the state of Maryland.  See... my Arizona tag... it expires TODAY.  Yeah.  We thought getting the vehicle registered here would be a simple process, pretty much like it is anywhere else we've lived in the past, but it SO is not.  It's ridiculous the number of hoops one has to jump through.  It's also ridiculous that the item we needed from Arizona takes two weeks to get to us even when it's electronically generated (which is supposed to make the process quicker).  Ummmm, what?!  Hopefully, what we need will be here soon... until then, I'll be driving Jonathan's little "square" around town and he'll be bumming a ride to and from work from one of our friends that works with him.

Jan. 30

I love Fat Witch brownies.  I mean... big, puffy heart, LOVE these brownies.  In particular, I love the blondies aka Blonde Witches.  So, when I ran across a recipe for these particular blondies, I HAD to try it out.  Mine didn't turn out exactly right... they were still ok, but definitely NOT Fat Witch quality.  It helps to actually read the recipe correctly and not add 1 1/3 cup too many chocolate chips.  Yeah.  The recipe called for 2/3c chocolate chips... I misread that as TWO cups of chocolate chips, which is pretty much an entire bag.  I may try them again... but then again, I may just order them straight from the source instead.  :)

Jan. 29

Out of the mouth of Jack today:

*Jack was standing in the doorway of the pantry trying to decide on a snack when I walked up behind him to try to hurry him up a little bit.  He turned around, looked up and pointed at me and said "Wait a second, ma."  Just so matter-of-factly.  Silly kid.

*He woke up from his nap and started calling for me to come get him.  As I walked up the stairs to get him, he pointed to his bed and said, "I all done in bed."

This next one is my favorite... and let me preface it with this.  He's NEVER said I love you before.

*We were sitting on the couch watching Despicable Me for the millionth time and I said, "I love you, Jack."  He said, "uh-huh" (which is his usual reply) "I love you too, ma."  Now, it comes out fairly mumbly but I knew exactly what he said.  And I admit... I teared up a little.  It's my favorite thing to hear him say now.

Jan. 28

Little man started speech today.  He was a little unsure about it at first, but started to open up a bit throughout the session.  He really seemed to enjoy himself... so much that he really didn't want to leave.  He spent the majority of the day asking me if he could go back to speech.  I'm thinking it's a good thing that he's so excited to go!

Jan. 27

The amount of snow that fell in our front yard (and on our back deck) the night before and until it stopped around midnight or so.  The boys were ecstatic about it... and couldn't wait to play in it!  Alex was thrilled to get yet another day off from school (we got close to 2" the night before, so he was out on Wednesday, too... as well as the teacher workday on Monday).  Jonathan, however, only got a delayed start at work and was none too pleased about shoveling our vehicles out of the snow.  Can't say that I blame him... that stuff was heavy and packed down. 

Jan. 26

 It started snowing today... well, technically it rained, then sleeted, then started snowing, then switched back a time or two before we got the full-on heavy snow.  I sat with Jack at the window for a little bit this morning... he lined his cars up in a neat line along the window sill and I just watched and watched.  In the 15 minutes that I sat there I watched it turn from rain to sleet to the biggest, puffiest snowflakes I think I've ever seen.  It was absolutely beautiful and serene and peaceful... and I'm so thankful that I took the time to just sit... and watch. 

Jan. 25

I got a call this morning... one that we've been waiting for for nearly a year now.  We've been trying to get Jack into speech and have always run into problems with insurance covering it and not being eligible for the free state-run programs.  Well today.... today I got the call that our insurance is going to cover speech for my little man!  I'm so SUPER excited... he starts on Friday.  Yay!

Other notable news.... I finally found where the air filter is located.  Seriously, it only took 6 months, and who would've ever guessed that it would be behind the furnace in the small locked room that houses the sump pump (the same locked room that our landlord told us not to worry about).  But, at least there's a new air filter in now.  That's a GOOD thing.